New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-30
EMANCIPATION FROM THE RAZOR.

HOW Boards WE'RE MADE POPULAR BY CALlfOR-
MA PIDNEERs-TALK OF AN OLD FoRTY-NINER,
q The early gold seekers In California conferred a
benefit upon the country-unconsciously it is true
,sbch have never mentioned but for which the
Younger generation hardly be grateful enough"
The speaker was of the old Forty-niners he
ras sneaking of the annual dinner Of the Associated
poneers OF California, which no had attended.
When I was young man." he continued, " no one
IN any part OF the United States with which l was
acquainted was permitted to wear beard There
WINS an unwhtten law against 1t, which was moro
stdotly obeyed than the statutes against murder or
robbery. man with full, flowing beard such as
NAV be seen anywhere in walk OF five minutes,
would have been followed and hooted at by crowd
If bows in any New-England town while mustaohe
was nm omen Onfession that tho wearer was rowdy
and A social outlaw. The would not have
been admitted 10 membership in any church, nor
unless he vas military onicer-reoeiyed into any
chin whskers but the lines drawp against the
complete thing the shaded upper lip bya public
ooinion 80 strong that 1t seemed iInmuable
\ q The gold excitement broke out, and in almost
every town and village there were some who caugh
the fever and started for the land OF promise. we
had hard time OF 1t the fortunate fellows just as
hard me as the unfortunate except tor tho courage
that success brings. There no leisure and little
nduceInent for self adOrnment in the absence oil
women We got careless about observing the rules
nj our old civilized life and of the first evidences
of This was that one another stopped shaving
II took too much time, and our razors got dull, or
our bits of looking-gass lost or broken and soon
every mining camp on the coast was nlled Win iull
bearded men,
q Early IN the 'hfies, .he men who had left wives
and children or sweehearts at home and who had
raked together few thousand dollars, began to
return; some to bring their families back and others
10 paw off the mortgages their farms and remain
We had been free from the trammels OF the old civil
9 long enough to be to some s 90 s ar 70
think that adventures had given US tho right to
be recognized as heroes and didn't mind wearing
sort OF distinguishing badge. So large number OF us
pearance that We had In the mines
sWe were decidedly picturesque lot, suppose,
and, where, or went immedi lately recognized
as returned gold dggers, and received the respect
among our old neighbors that suppostous wealth
alas only supposititous In many cases-oommanded.
In no very long time there were few towns In whch
there we're several returned Calfornians and, az
the no, city OF full boards began to wear off, the real
improy ement which boards made In some men was
seen. Huge jawed one-lpped men came back aDso'
luely handsome. Then the doctors entered the Held
Young men with weak lungs and bronchial troubles
seemed 10 be cured At frat the climate of California
and the exposure Of comp life obtained the credit
but after winter at home IL was believed thar the
protection given by the beard should share tho
credit and MANY OF the physicians, especially
In wEngand, advised their patients to cease shay
ing. The innov alton made its way rapidly By
tho advice of the doctor satisfactory an
answer TO all comments as IT Is in the same part OF
the country when one Is caugh. taking his bitters
before dinner
at was somo years, however, before the prejudice
of generations became weakened that preachers
could wear boards without severe comment on the
part of some members of their congregations, IL not
accession from their folds to those of skavcn shop
herds II Ia tradition that tho late Professor stowe
adopted n shrcwd device to rid himself Of the hated
razor. lie WINS delivering an address, so the story
goes on slavery and as no became impassioned with
the subject he exclaimed This must and will
be wiped out the day Of freedom for oil men in our
land is coming, and shall not touch my face
until IL dawns.' lie was probably one Of the first
Concrcgntionast ministers 20 wear hair on his lip.
When IL became allowable for any who chose TO
wear n full beard entire emancipation followed easily
enough and men began 10 trim their boards to suit
themselv yes until before long they could wear mus
tAches alone without causing remark We old Forty
miners created this revoluuon-we who came home ;
and In the advantages health to say nothing of the
Improvement Of the moral tone of community which
l. caused nv the overthrow Of every senseless super
siton think that In th. VIC did more good than did
the gold We brought home"